Program Director Anna Zivarts’ Statement On Washington’s Initiative 976
Nearly 13 percent of people in Washington State have mobility-limiting disabilities. Many of us don’t have driver’s licenses, or access to a car. It’s not just disabled folks who are transit dependent – it’s also our youth, our elders, immigrants and people who can’t afford cars. Transit for us isn’t a choice, it’s an absolutely critical part of our ability to participate in our communities.
I grew up outside of Olympia. Because I have a vision impairment that makes it impossible to get a driver’s license, as my friends got their licenses and freedom, I felt trapped and left out of “normal” life. I wanted to live somewhere where I could get where I needed to go on the bus or train, and not have to my parents to drive me to dates.
One of the first political campaigns I volunteered on was to oppose Tim Eyman’s car tab initiative in 1999. It’s both sad and extremely frustrating that almost 20 years later, we are still having to fight tooth and nail to maintain funding for transit.
Just like me, my kid is low vision and probably won’t drive. So a big part of my motivation comes from wanting a state where he and other transit dependent folks can get around. But just as critically, I want to be able to tell him I did everything in my power to address the climate crisis. 976 is a massive step backwards both on mobility access and on reducing our carbon emissions. We must defeat it.
Photo Credit @BrittneyBush
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